Leicester City 1-3 Chelsea in Premier League Round 27
Chelsea secured a 3-1 victory against Leicester City in Matchweek 27 of the English Premier League. This is their second consecutive win in the Premier League, but they have not improved their position.
This is Chelsea’s third consecutive win across all competitions, despite only winning two out of their previous 15 matches. Since May 2022, Chelsea have only scored three goals in a game, and they have also ended their eight-game winless streak away from home, with their last away win being against Aston Villa on October 16, 2022.
Although they did not dominate the opposition, this result was enough to relieve pressure on manager Potter. The 47-year-old coach was reportedly under threat of losing his job this week, but he successfully fulfilled his duties with two consecutive wins in the Premier League and a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals. However, Chelsea still have a lot to improve on, as they are currently in 10th place with 37 points after 26 matches.
Leicester, who are currently experiencing a crisis and have dropped close to the relegation zone, needed to take advantage of playing at home, especially against a Chelsea side that is also struggling with form. Brendan Rodgers’ team started strong, with two opportunities created by James Maddison.
However, before they could convert their determination into a goal, they were dealt a blow by former player Ben Chilwell. From a corner kick, Kalidou Koulibaly’s effort to cross the ball into the box allowed Chilwell to score a stunning volley, which goalkeeper Danny Ward was unable to stop.
Leicester responded when Maddison took a free-kick, and Daniel Amartey headed the ball just wide. Afterwards, both teams shook the opponent’s goalpost. Firstly, Joao Felix broke the offside trap for Chelsea, but his shot hit the post in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper. Two minutes later, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s long-range shot hit the crossbar, to the disappointment of the home fans.
In the 34th minute, Chelsea scored their second goal against their opponent when Felix took advantage of a cross from Ruben Loftus-Cheek. However, the goal was not recognized due to an offside violation. Shortly after, Felix made a mistake, allowing Ricardo Pereira to steal the ball at home. Seizing the opportunity, Patson Daka overcame two Chelsea players before beating goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga with a shot into the near corner, leveling the score at 1-1.
Excited after the equalizer, Leicester continued to threaten and made Kepa work hard to save shots from Maddison and Kelechi Iheanacho. However, Chelsea benefited from the moment of a star player in a difficult situation. Newcomer Enzo Fernandez made a skillful pass to Kai Havertz, who lifted the ball over Ward, giving Chelsea their second lead in the 6th minute of injury time.
The second half witnessed a tug-of-war between the two teams, with the focus on the two goalkeepers. Ward leaped to push Wesley Fofana’s header over the bar, while Kepa rushed out to block Iheanacho and was injured in the process. Leicester’s goalkeeper also played exceptionally well in diving to save Havertz’s header that bounced off the ground. Kepa almost caused Chelsea to suffer a setback with a poor rush out, but Dewsbury-Hall’s shot missed the empty goal.
In the 75th minute, Chelsea’s newcomer Mykhailo Mudryk escaped on the left flank before beating Ward. However, Chelsea’s second goal was also disallowed due to an offside violation. Nevertheless, the away team extended their lead three minutes later. From Havertz’s cross, Mudryk headed the ball to Mateo Kovacic, who volleyed it into Leicester’s net.
Leicester’s efforts in the remaining time did not help them narrow the gap, and they even ended the game with 10 men when defender Wout Faes received a second yellow card for fouling Carney Chukwuemeka.
This fifth consecutive defeat on all fronts pushes Rodgers into a difficult position. The Northern Irish strategist is now the most at risk of being fired in the Premier League, not Potter. Leicester are only one point ahead of the relegation zone.
Chelsea will have a week’s rest before hosting Everton, while Leicester will visit Brentford in their next away game.
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